Legendary actor Sally Field is being praised for a self-aware acceptance speech upon accepting her Lifetime Achievement Award at the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) awards ceremony over the weekend.
Field—who won the Academy Award for Best Actress twice for her roles in Norma Rae and Places in the Heart—has been a Hollywood star since the 1960s and acknowledged her "White girl" privilege while reflecting on her decades-long career and the opportunities she's been given.
Her words struck a poignant chord during a year which saw Black performers Viola Davis and Danielle Deadwyler largely shut out from awards season despite receiving significant praise for their roles in The Woman King and Till respectively.
You can hear what Field said in the video below.
\u201cSally Field acknowledging her own privilege while accepting her SAG Lifetime Achievement Award\u2026we love to see it!\u201d— Spencer Althouse (@Spencer Althouse) 1677464679
Field said:
“I was a little White girl with a pug-nose born in Pasadena, California. And when I look around this room tonight, I know my fight ― as hard as it was ― was lightweight compared to some of yours. I thank you and I applaud you.”
Field's words no doubt resonated with many on social media who lauded her self-awareness.
\u201c@SpencerAlthouse And she did not diminish herself while acknowledging the greater challenges the others have been through.\u201d— Spencer Althouse (@Spencer Althouse) 1677464679
\u201cIt should be everyone\u2019s goal in life to be as self-aware as Sally Field.\n\nhttps://t.co/V5d18wyF0P\u201d— Kenny Williams (@Kenny Williams) 1677464817
\u201c@SpencerAlthouse She\u2019s gotta be one of the most likable actresses of her generation.\u201d— Spencer Althouse (@Spencer Althouse) 1677464679
\u201c@SpencerAlthouse What an absolute queen!\u201d— Spencer Althouse (@Spencer Althouse) 1677464679
\u201c@SpencerAlthouse \u2764\ufe0fShe's a great actress with class.\u201d— Spencer Althouse (@Spencer Althouse) 1677464679
\u201c@SpencerAlthouse We really, really love her \ud83e\udef6\ud83c\udffe\u201d— Spencer Althouse (@Spencer Althouse) 1677464679
\u201cSally Field acknowledging her own privilege while accepting her SAG Lifetime Achievement Award is exactly why she was destined for an Lifetime Achievement Award. Congratulations! \n\n#SAGAwards \n#SAGAwards2023 \nhttps://t.co/ggHUgoNUbk\u201d— IT\u2019S TIME FOR JUSTICE (@IT\u2019S TIME FOR JUSTICE) 1677508913
\u201csally field recognizing her privilege \ud83e\udef6\u201d— channel whorange (@channel whorange) 1677464399
Field took the stage to accept the award during what has nonetheless turned out to be a banner year for performers of color.
The big winner of last night's awards ceremony was Everything Everywhere All at Once, which took home the Best Ensemble, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Supporting Actress prizes.
The celebrated Malaysian actor Michelle Yeoh is a favorite to win the coveted Best Actress Academy Award next month while her co-star Ke Huy Quan is a lock to win the Best Supporting Actor prize.
If Yeoh wins the Best Actress award, she will become the first actress of Asian descent to win in Academy Awards history and would be the first performer of color to win since Halle Berry became the first, after winning Best Actress for Monster's Ball in 2001.
Jane Rosenberg
Jane Rosenberg
@arianagrande/Instagram
@arianagrande/Instagram